Hat-skeet or cup-skeet

ABSTRACT

A sports type of game device for being played for fun, and which is modelled after skeet shooting, the game device consisting of a horizontal table panel of 4 by 8 feet, having a target on one end where there are a series of solonoid operated gates at the ends of a series of target lanes that extend diverging from a shooting area at the opposite end of the table panel, and whereupon a hatshaped, inverted cup is placed, the top of the cup having a cross slot into which one end of a piano steel wire rod is receivable and which at its other end is held in the hand for flinging the cup along the target lanes toward the targets.

United States Patent 1191 Fink [111 3 [45] May 21,

[ HAT-SKEET 0R CUP-SKEET [76] Inventor: John Fink, PO. Box 206, Blackfoot,

Idaho 83221 [22] Filed: Nov. 5, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 195,909

[52] US. Cl 273/126 R, 273/127 D, 273/129 [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 [58] Field of Search 273/126 R, 126 A, 127 R, 273/127 A, 127 B, 127 C, 127 D, 119 R, 119

A, 119 B, 118 R, 118 A, 118 D, 123 R, 123

366.276 2/1932 Great Britain 273/108 Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Theatrice Brown [5 7] ABSTRACT A sports type of game device for being played for fun, and which is modelled after skeet shooting, the game device consisting of a horizontal table panel of 4 by 8 feet, having a target on one end where there are a series of solonoid operated gates at the ends of a series of target lanes that extend diverging from a shooting area at the opposite end of the table panel, and whereupon a hat-shaped, inverted cup is placed, the top of the cup having a cross slot into which one end of a piano steel wire rod is receivable and which at its other end is held in the hand for flinging the cup along the target lanes toward the targets.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures HAT-SKEET R CUP-SKEET This invention relates generally to game devices.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a hat skeet or cup skeet that is based on the principle of skeet shooting, and which can be played competitively between friends for a score, or alone for diversion.

Another object is to provide a hat skeet or cup skeet which can be played indoors or out-of-doors.

Yet another object is to provide a hat skeet or cup skeet wherein the cup can be fired with a quick, shotlike speed and which can be aimed with accuracy toward a target.

Yet another object is to provide a hat skeet or cup skeet game that can be quickly mastered to be played with a little practice.

Other objects are to provide a hat skeet or cup skeet which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use, and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily apparent upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

' FIG. 1 is a top view of the invention shown in use.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the propelling rod in relation to a cup upon the take-off area of the playing board.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a hat skeet or cup skeet game device according to the present invention, wherein there isa playing board 11, a hat-shaped playing piece or cup 12 for traveling upon the board 11, and a propelling rod 13 for shooting the cup 12 toward a target area at the end of the board.

The playing board 11 may consist of a four by eight foot plywood panel of one-half inch thickness, and

v which can be placed horizontally upon a table, or

which may be made with its own legs for use at a convenient elevation when playing. A playing field 14 drawn upon the panel includes a start or shooting area 15 at one end of the panel and a series of variously colored target lanes 16 which at one end start at the shooting area and the opposite ends diverge toward the opposite end of the board l1, which consists of a target area 17. Adepending gate 18 is located at the end of each target lane 16. A solonoid 19 is provided to lift each gate. An eighteen inch high frame 20 is over the target end to keep the skeets on the table. A bell 21 is located behind each solonoid controlled gate controlled separately by pushbuttons 22 alongside the shooting area end of the board 11. Each gate is fitted with a latch. An electric lamp behind each gate is in circuit with the mentioned electric components and a power.

The cup 12 comprises a hat-shaped member having a crown of inch diameter and inch high. It has a l inch diameter brim. Across the top of the crown,

there is a groove 23.

The propelling rod 13 consists of an eighteen inch long piano steel wire 24 which at one end 25 is upward bent, the other end of the wire being fitted into a handle 26, and an intermediate part of the wire being fitted with a pressure point pad 27.

In operating the game, the cup is placed upon the shooting area. The bent end of the propelling rod is placed midway in the cup groove 23. Then holding the handle 26 in a right hand at about 45 or less, the fingers of the left hand are placed at the rod pressure point 27, and with a quick pressing and slight pulling back with the right hand the cup is popped like a shot from beneath the rod. When a player gets ready to shoot, he calls pull" as in regular skeet, and his partner or opponent presses one of the five push buttons. A latch lifts and a light indicates which gate is opened a specifically timed moment. The shooting player must react quick, aim and shoot to the lighted target before the latch drops closing the gate. Each player shoots a round of five plays. The game points can be any selected number.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as is defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A surface projectile game apparatus comprising: an elongated playing board having a shooting area at one end and a target area at its opposite end, a series of target lanes extending fan-like diverging from said shooting area to said target area, said target area having a plurality of targets thereon, each of said targets being associated with one said lane, said targets having upwardly pivotable gates, each of said gates being pivoted by an electrically actuated solenoid, each solenoid being controlled by a push button positioned on a control panel located at said shooting end of said playing board; electric lamp means located behind each of said gates for indicating which of said gates is in an open position; a hat-shaped game piece; an elongated propelling rod for propelling said hat-shaped game piece toward said gate when said gate is in said open position; a bell, said bell being located behind each of said gates for indicating when said game piece has been successfully propelled through said opened gate; said solenoid, said push button, said lamp means and said bell being components of an electric circuit, and said hat-shaped playing piece having a notched groove across its top for receiving one end of said propelling rod.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said propelling rod comprises a piano steel wire rod bent adjacent said one end, a handle at its opposite end,

and a pressure point along its center. 

1. A surface projectile game apparatus comprising: an elongated playing board having a shooting area at one end and a target area at its opposite end, a series of target lanes extending fan-like diverging from said shooting area to said target area, said target area having a plurality of targets thereon, each of said targets being associated with one said lane, said targets having upwardly pivotable gates, each of said gates being pivoted by an electrically actuated solenoid, each solenoid being controlled by a push button positioned on a control panel located at said shooting end of said playing board; electric lamp means located behind each of said gates for indicating which of said gates is in an open position; a hat-shaped game piece; an elongated propelling rod for propelling said hat-shaped game piece toward said gate when said gate is in said open position; a bell, said bell being located behind each of said gates for indicating when said game piece has been successfully propelled through said opened gate; said solenoid, said push button, said lamp means and said bell being components of an electric circuit, and said hatshaped playing piece having a notched groove across its top for receiving one end of said propelling rod.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said propelling rod comprises a piano steel wire rod bent adjacent said one end, a handle at its opposite end, and a pressure point along its center. 